AIADMK MPs urge Modi to constitute Cauvery Management Board

A delegation of members of parliament belonging to the AIADMK on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Ministry of Water Resources to proceed with its Interlocutory Application filed in the Supreme Court on the Cauvery water case.

They also urged him to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) immediately.

Led by Lok Sabha's Deputy Speaker M. Thambi Durai, a delegation of AIADMK parliament members marched up to the Prime Minister's Office and submitted a memorandum.

On October 3, 2016, the Ministry of Water Resources filed an Interlocutory Application in the Supreme Court seeking modification of its September 30, 2016, order to constitute Cauvery Management Board by October 4, 2016.

The ministry in its application said the CMB cannot be constituted now.

"In this context, we appeal to you to intervene in the matter and direct the Ministry of Water Resources to withdraw the Interlocutory Application dated 3.10.2016 forthwith and to immediately comply with the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court dated 30.9.2016 and constitute the Cauvery Management Board at once and render justice to the lakhs of farmers dependent on Cauvery water and the people of Tamil Nadu," the AIADMK MPs told Modi in their memorandum.

"We are at a total loss to understand what caused this sudden reversal. The government of India's stance in the latest Interlocutory Application filed on 3.10.2016, is at total variance with the stance taken in the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The stand taken by the government of India is against the State of Tamil Nadu and its farming community," the memorandum noted.

The AIADMK MPs said in a federal polity the government of India is expected to be neutral and fair to all the states of the Union.

"It is also duty-bound to uphold the majesty of law and the decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court and Final Order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal," the memorandum stressed.

According to the AIADMK, the Union ministers belonging to Karnataka have been vociferously supporting the stand of the Karnataka government to not release the Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

"This is against the constitutional obligation cast on them to be neutral in any dispute between two States, as they are Union Ministers for the whole country. This action of the Union Ministers amounts to a grave injustice to the people of Tamil Nadu," the memorandum said.

On the part of Tamil Nadu government Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao on Monday wrote to Shashi Sekhar, Secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources, requesting action to withdraw the Interlocutory Application forthwith and constitute the Cauvery Management Board as per apex court's directions.

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are at war over the sharing of Cauvery river water for a long time.

--IANS

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